Sea of Memories
by Hunterjumper2016
Summary: Diego Rueda and Maddie VanPelt have grown up with each other in Region 4. What will happen after they take their turns in the arena? Read to find out. A side story from my EWW/HG series. I don't own anything except for my 2 OCs!
1. Chapter 1: Return to 'Normal'

**Here is the new side story about Diego and Maddie in Region 4! Hope you like it!**

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><p>Chapter 1: Returning to 'Normal'<p>

Diego's POV:

I stepped out onto the platform, squinting against the bright sunlight that was shining down on Region 4. I walked off of the train and into the station, where I was met by a massive crowd of people. Many of them were cheering my name and applauding me. I didn't recognize most of them, but I was able to make out some familiar faces. I saw my parents who were beaming with pride. I saw my friend Josh Gonzalez standing with his girlfriend, Ember Ender. Josh was easy to see, considering the fact that he towered over the other people in the crowd. They were clapping and cheering too. I smiled back at my friends and family, but I wasn't specifically looking for them, I was looking for someone else. Then I saw her. Maddie VanPelt. She was pushing her way through the crowd to catch a glimpse of me. Right behind her was her boyfriend, Bane Huntingwood. No, sorry, Bane Huntingwood _Jr._ He was a beast of a guy and even though he was only 5'7", he looked a lot bigger. Anyway, Maddie finally made it to the front of the crowd and I greeted her with a hug.

"Congratulations, Diego. I knew you could win it." My friend whispered into my ear. I hugged her back and it felt like time froze only for a moment. As we hugged, I reflected back on what had happened over the past month. I had been drawn and so had a girl that I didn't know. When we had gotten to the arena, she was one of the first to die in the Bloodbath. I was still amazed that I had survived the first day in that hell hole. After all, I was the underdog of the Career Regions. I had only gotten a 7 in my ratings; I was a disgrace to Region 4. Until I proved everyone wrong. I, Diego Rueda, had one the 71st Annual Hunger Games, at the age of 14. I snapped out of my thoughts when Maddie broke away from me. I smiled warmly at her as Bane came up behind her and wrapped a beefy arm around her waist.

"Congrats, man. I didn't think you were gonna make it. I guess I was wrong." Bane said with a snobbish tone. He had always been that way and I never understood why. I didn't get why Maddie would want to date that kind of guy; she had always liked the guys that were willing to treat her like a lady, not a prize like Bane did. But, I brushed the thought away as my mentor, Mags dragged me into the Centroid car that would bring me to my new home in the Victor's Circle. My parents would join me there in a few days. When we arrived in the Circle, Mags led me silently to my new home, which was the second house on the right side from the entry gate. I thanked the elderly victor and gave her a quick hug before she left to return to her own house further down the road. I unlocked the door with the key that I had been given in the car and stepped into a white atrium. The flooring throughout the entire house was white marble. The steps that led to the second and third floors were white granite with elaborate, black, wrought iron handrails. The rooms themselves were also extravagant. My bedroom was beautiful. The walls were a cadet blue with white trimming. The bed was king-sized, with white cotton sheets and a cadet blue satin cover. There was also a balcony that overlooked the ocean. Region 4's main export was fish and other deep sea valuables like pearls. Thus, we were conveniently perched on the water's edge. I could see the sun starting to set, turning the sky orange and pink. I turned from the landscape and got ready to settle down for the evening.

As I sat down on the couch in the living room, I began to realize that this was my world now. Sure, I would still be able to see Josh and Maddie whenever I wanted, but it wouldn't be the same. It wouldn't feel normal, even though this _was_ the new normal.

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><p>Maddie's POV:<p>

After Diego disappeared, Bane dragged me back to his father's seaside restaurant, which was currently empty. Bane threw me into a chair and stared down at me.

"I told you not to talk to him anymore. Why didn't you listen to me?"

"You can't keep me from seeing my friends, Bane. I'm not your property. The only reason I'm with you is because you threatened to hurt Diego if I didn't go out with you." I spat at him. It was true, Bane had threatened to hurt Diego in order to get me to date him. Diego and I have known each other ever since we were little kids. I wouldn't let anyone hurt him, and he wouldn't let anyone hurt me. Well, except for Bane. I never told Diego about what Bane had done. He was already in danger from Bane. You see, Bane is a werewolf. When he lashed out, he could easily kill Diego. I couldn't let that happen. So I put on a smile each time I saw Diego. I wished I could tell him everything; I wanted to tell him, I wanted him to offer his shoulder for me to cry on as I told him what Bane had done. But for now, this would be the normal routine. Once I could find a way though, I would break free from Bane and walk towards Diego's open, loving arms. Someday.


	2. Chapter 2: Why

**So, why do you think Bane hates Diego? Let's find out shall we?**

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><p>Chapter 2: Why<p>

Maddie's POV:

Bane kept his grip on my shoulder as I tried to break away. He wouldn't budge. Instead, he raised his other hand and slapped me across the face, probably leaving a bruise and forcing me to give up on my escape.

"You listen to me. I thought that you were gonna do what I told you to. You weren't supposed to talk to him, wave at him, do anything pertaining to him. What is it gonna take for you to listen and do what you've been told? Well?"

I sat in silence, glaring at Bane and regretting everything that I had done with him. Finally, I decided to voice my thoughts,"I just want to know why you hate him so much. Is it because of me? Am I a prize to you?"

"He. Is. A. Kanay. Kanays don't deserve to live. They're filthy and idiotic. The real question is, why would a witch like you want anything to do with something like that?" My boyfriend's voice got low at the mention of the word Kanay. I already knew that Diego was one of them, even though he had never told me. I had seen him practicing his powers in secret a few years ago. Kanays were supposed to have been killed off during the rebellion that had given us the Hunger Games. I think the leader was actually a Kanay himself. The problem was-witches and wizards hated Kanays. With a burning passion. No one really knows why. Well, my friend Rachel Wheeler probably does; she has an entire underground library of illegal magical books with every piece of magic history and every single spell ever cast. I would have to talk to her about it later. But, even werewolves, who are hated by witches and wizards almost as much as Kanays, have grown cold towards the elemental beings. At least, Bane had.

After hearing his crude comment, I finally snapped at him,"Maybe its because I've known him since we were 4 years old. Maybe its because we lived next door to each other and were in the same classes at school with each other for 7 years. Who knows? All I know is that he has always been there for me and I'll always be there for him. I don't even like you! The reason I'm with you is to keep him safe." Bane stood in silence, he had let go of me and I was currently trying to size him up,"Well? There's the answer to your question."

I looked at the clock and saw that it was almost 5. "I have to go." No goodbye, no kiss goodnight, nothing. I just stormed out of the restaurant and whipped out my phone. I scrolled through the contacts until I got to the person I needed the most. I started a new text.

_To: Diego_

_Hey, can u meet me at the pier? I need 2 talk 2 u._

I headed to the pier to wait for him. My phone vibrated about 20 seconds later.

_Sure. I'll b there in 10 minutes._

I smiled as I continued to walk to the wharf. The sun was starting to set and it was turning the sky different shades of pink and purple and orange. It was breathtaking. I only had to wait for 5 minutes on the dock when I heard Diego's footsteps behind me. Sure enough, he had a big, warm smile on his face. But I wasn't smiling. Now was the time that Diego learned the truth.

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><p>Diego POV:<p>

There was no smile on Maddie's face. But there was a bruise on her right cheek. The smile on mine dropped,"Maddie? What's wrong?"

She didn't say anything. She just wrapped her arms around me and started to cry into my chest. I tried my best to comfort her, but I was still caught a little off guard by what had just happened. A few hours ago, she had been the warm, smiling Maddie that I knew. But now, she was an absolute mess.

"I-its Bane. I-i need t-to tell you the t-truth about him." She calmed herself down before continuing. We sat down on the dock.

"Bane hates you, Diego. He- he never told me why. But he threatened to hurt you if I didn't go out with him. A few days after we started dating, he told me that he was a werewolf. It was terrifying. He's capable of killing anyone he wants, whenever he wants. He doesn't need a full moon to transform. He told me that if I wanted you to stay safe, I couldn't talk to you or be friend anymore. And then, when you were drawn, I thought that Bane had finally gotten his wish. But- you won. And now he's so pissed about it that he's starting to become more violent. And he's taking out on me." She pointed to the bruise on her cheek.

Bane was nothing compared to how pissed off I was. I was ready to hunt him down and kill him myself, but decided against it. Maddie was still shaken from it all, and right now, she needed a shoulder to cry on. I wrapped my arm around her waist. She leaned her head on my shoulder.

"I won't let it happen again. I promise, Maddie. I won't let him hurt you like that ever again." That was a promise that I would keep until the day I die. Maddie was too important to me. She deserved better than Bane.

"I know, Diego." She whispered softly. We sat there on that dock until the sun went down. I walked her home before returning to the Victor's Circle. When I got home, I sat on the couch and began to think about what Maddie had said about Bane. I needed more information about him. I needed to know why he was after me. There was only one person I could think of that could help me. I grabbed my jacket and ran all the way back to Maddie's neighborhood. I found house number 482 and knocked on the door. A girl only about 5'3" answered. She had long brown hair and stone grey eyes and she spoke in a nervous tone.

"Can I help you?"

"Are you Rachel Wheeler?" The girl nodded,"My name is Diego Rueda. I'm a friend of Maddie's and I need your help. You wouldn't happen to have any information on a werewolf by the name of Bane Huntingwood Jr., would you?"

Her eyes lit up when she understood who I was and she hurried me inside,"Quick! Come in. My parents are out working at the concert hall and won't be back for a while. But I don't want the Peacekeepers on night watch to hear us. Follow me." She led me downstairs to her basement. Only it wasn't a basement. It was a library.


	3. Chapter 3: New Discoveries

**So what did you guys think of Chapter 2? Not bad after being gone for 2 weeks. :)**

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><p>Chapter 3: Region 11 And Its Troubles<p>

Emma stood on the train platform in Region 11, mouth agape. She was filled with different thoughts and emotions about what she saw. Disgust, sympathy, fear, sadness, they all were visible in 11. The train station itself was in dire need of improvement. What should have been white tile on the walls, matched Emma's mocha brown eye color. The floors were cracked and had moss growing in them. The roof sounded as though it may collapse at the slightest nudge. Jax was staring wide eyed at the station as well, but when Lily and Ramona stepped off the train, they ignored the horrid site and shoved the two new victors into a Centroid car that would take them to the square where they would speak to the people of Region 11.

"Here, take these," Ramona handed Jax and Emma each a set of note cards,"each card has a speech for a different Region, the one on top is for 11. Emma will speak first and Jax will follow." The victors nodded in understanding just as the car came to a stop. A peacekeeper opened the door and offered his hand to help Emma out of the car. She unwillingly took it and stepped out into the bleak sunlight behind the Region's Overseer's office building. They were brought inside and told to wait behind a set of large oak doors that were most likely, the only new thing in the entire Region. While in the car, Emma was able to see that Region 11 was more than just poor, it was impoverished. There were children starving, crops that were small in size and number, the water looked like mud. Emma felt horrible and wished that she could do something, anything, to help these people. But she couldn't, at least, not now while the president was watching.

Jax took hold of Emma's hand, sensing her unease,"Scared much?"

"Try terrified. She's watching our every move, Jax. One slip-up and we're finished."

"I know, Em. Don't worry, if you get nervous, look at me, I'll help you." The wizard smiled warmly at Emma as the oak doors opened wide to reveal a stage with two podiums. The podiums faced a massive crowd of poor farmers, gatherers and fruit vendors who had come to see the victors. There was no applause. Emma and Jax walked to the podiums hand in hand, only letting go when they reached their destination. Emma lowered the microphone in front of her and, glancing at her card, began to read.

"Hello, my name is Emma Alonso. First, and foremost, I would like to extend my thanks to you, the people of Region 11, for welcoming us here. Today is a day to remember those that your Region have lost." Emma couldn't stand reading from a script any longer and so spoke from her heart,"I didn't know Thresh well, but if it hadn't been for him, neither Jax nor myself would be standing in front of you today. For that, I am forever grateful. I first met Sophie on the training floor and I didn't meet her again until after she saved me from a swarm of Jackers. She was crafty and stealthy and she didn't deserve to die the way she did. And everyday I think about both Thresh and Sophie and the sacrifices they took to save Jax and I." Emma stopped then just as she began to tear up and nodded to Jax for him to begin speaking.

"Thank you, Emma. As mentioned before, my name is Jax Novoa." He was confident in his speaking and had a relaxed feeling about him,"I didn't know either of these tributes as Emma did, but after hearing from her about what they did in the arena, I think of them as friends who anyone would be lucky to have. Thresh and Sophie may be gone from our world, but they aren't gone from our hearts. They will forever live in our memories as heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice, and for that, both Emma and I are eternally grateful. Thank you." Jax offered Emma his hand once again. As they turned to leave, however, they heard someone yelling in the crowd,"LONG LIVE THE MOCKINGJAY!" Emma turned to see an old man being carried onto the stage by two Peacekeepers, he was still yelling as he was dropped onto the stage floor. Peacekeepers continued to push the victors inside the Overseer's building as a Peacekeeper Sergeant walked over to the man, drew his pistol and-

"BANG!" The shot rang out as the oak doors closed behind Emma and Jax. Emma hadn't realized that she was crying until she and Jax met Lily and Ramona in the car. Lily spoke softly,"I'm guessing it didn't go as planned?"

Jax wrapped his arm around Emma to comfort her,"It did at first, but there are still people who believe Emma is going to lead a rebellion. That's why there was a gun shot."

"Don't worry, Emma. 11 has always been unstable, there should be smooth sailing for the rest of the tour." Ramona said with a fake smile on her face. She knew as well as anyone else that this tour would be anything but smooth.

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><p>Back on the train, Emma sat alone on her bed with her knees pulled up to her chin. She couldn't stop thinking about what had happened in 11 a few hours ago. She finally decided that it would be best to talk to someone about it. Someone who she knew would understand. Emma rose from her bed and walked over to Jax's bedroom door. She knocked three times and waited. Finally, Jax appeared in the doorway.<p>

"Em? What time is it? Shouldn't you be asleep?" Jax was still groggy with sleep, Emma grabbed him anyways and dragged him into the empty living car. He sat down on the couch, now fully awake,"Again, why aren't you in bed?"

Emma plopped down next to him and sighed,"Couldn't sleep. I just needed someone to talk to. You were the first one to come to my mind."

"Alright, what'd you wanna talk about?"

"What happened today. I still can't wrap my head around it. It seems like it was kinda like a nightmare that I never woke up from." Emma looked at Jax with wide eyes. He only nodded slightly,"I understand; I feel the same way, but I don't want you to linger on it, Em. That's all that these victors do is linger on everything that happened to them. Its why Lily drinks and why so many of them become addicts. We still have a life to live, Em. Don't let the past stop you from living it."

Emma smiled and gave her boyfriend a hug,"Thanks, Jax. You always seem to know what to say."

"No problem, babe." He gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead,"Now, go get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning." The pair of lovers then went their separate ways down the bedroom car only to meet again a few hours later.

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><p>Emma had had another nightmare. She woke up screaming and, as he usually did in 12, Jax ran in to hold her and calm her down. Emma buried her head in Jax's bare chest and cried as he rocked her gently.<p>

"Its alright, Em. You just had another bad dream. Everything's okay." He whispered calmly. Once she had stopped crying, Jax did what he would always do; he climbed under the covers with her and held her close as she fell asleep in his arms. Emma was always able to sleep sound when Jax was there. And she knew that he would always be the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes in the morning.


	4. Chapter 4: The Beach

Chapter 4: The Beach

Maddie's POV:

Diego was waiting for me at the pier the next morning. He had his usual smile on. That was one of the many things that I loved about him. Actually, I loved everything about him. I loved his smile, his sepia brown eyes, his kind personality. I loved it all. I hid it the best I could for his sake. If Bane had found out- Diego would be done for.

When I walked over to him, I gave Diego a brief hug as a greeting,"Hey. Thanks for doing this. I really needed a break from Bane."

"Its no trouble. But Bane is actually the reason I wanted to meet you. But, first," he offered his arm to me,"I'm treating you to breakfast." I linked arms with him and we walked off to the Seaside Diner. The diner was owned by the Alvarez family and it was one of my favorite places in the Region. Mrs. Alvarez was the hostess and she called everyone by their first name. She was a warm, motherly woman who was always willing to offer advice. She greeted us with a smile,"Good morning, you two. Stopping for a bite to eat before you terrorize the town with Josh?" She, like everyone else in Region 4, knew that Josh, Diego and I were notorious for 'bending the rules' as kids. Diego and I laughed at her remark,"Not today, Mrs. Alvarez. Just here for breakfast." Mrs. A led us over to a table overlooking the sea. We sat down and waited for her daughter to come and take our order.

Christine Alvarez was a witch like me. She told me so when she saw me cast a spell a few years ago. But that was the closest to friends we ever came. But Christine was always friendly no matter what. She walked over to our table and greeted us,"Hey, guys. What can I get ya?" We ordered our food and once Christine had left, Diego leaned in to tell me something.

"Now, I want to tell you something regarding Bane. I did some research on his family with Rachel last night. And I found something interesting." I leaned in to hear what he had to tell me. "Remember when you told me that Bane was a special type of werewolf?" I nodded,"And I'm guessing you know that I'm a Churi Kanay, too?" I nodded again.

"Well, apparently, only Kanays can kill that type of werewolf. Silver won't kill them. The only reason he's making you date him is so that he can use you as leverage. Your his key to staying immortal." I understood everything now. Diego was the only one that Bane was truly afraid of. Bane was using me. He knew that Diego wouldn't want anything to happen to me, and thus, he was able to live forever. I should have expected this from him, but it still came as a surprise to me.

Diego placed his hand on mine and smiled again. I returned a smile, which made his eyes light up,"There's that smile that I love to see." My face began to turn red as Christine came back with our food. I heard Diego's phone go off and his face showed concern.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, its just Josh. He keeps bugging me about everything that happened with Ember."

Christine stopped what she was doing at the mention of Josh. "What happened with Ember?" I could tell by the tone of her voice, that she was hoping that Josh was single once again. Diego, of course, didn't notice.

"He broke up with Ember last night. She kinda- started to lose it, you know." Christine tried to pass of her excitement by playing it cool, but she was doing a really bad job.

"Oh, that's too bad. Anyway, enjoy your meal." She walked away and began to take orders from another table. We looked at her for a little bit, but then turned our attention to our food.

After decimating our plates, Diego paid the bill and we left the diner. We didn't know where we were going, we just walked. "So, what do you want to do? I'm up for anything." Diego said, catching me off guard. It had been years since we had a day to ourselves. And Diego didn't want to spend it with Josh, with whom he had been inseparable from up until Diego's name had been drawn a few months ago. He wanted to spend it with me. And I knew the perfect place to spend it at.

"Follow me."

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><p>Diego's POV:<p>

"Follow me." I followed her command. I had no clue where we were going, but the sound of gulls and waves reminded me vaguely of a beach. And that was exactly what it was. A beach. There were no people in sight. There was only white sand, a blue ocean and a smiling Maddie. Making sure no one else was in sight, she pulled me close and whispered in my ear,"I'm a witch. But, you probably already knew that." I had figured it out on my own over the course of the past year and a half or so. Strange things would sometimes happen around her. I never said anything, because I wanted her to tell me when she was ready. Then, she twirled her index finger, sending out green, blue and gold sparks. Instantaneously, her outfit turned into a white sundress and mine turned into a pair of cargo shorts and a white t-shirt.

"So, why did you bring us here exactly?" Maddie laughed when I asked her my question. She responded shortly after, still giggling,"I thought you would remember the place where we had our first kiss."

I was confused. We had never- her lips crashed against mine. Her arms wrapped around my neck as mine moved to her waist. Our lips moved in sync with each other, as if they were made for each other and no else. Time seemed to stop when we kissed. But it started again when we heard a familiar voice behind us.

"MADDIE! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" We broke from our kiss and turned to see Bane standing with a girl I didn't know. She had light brown hair and dark blue eyes. She wore red everything, except for her jeans which were denim blue. She was smiling with a devilish air around her.

"You were right, Sabrina. I should have known that she would go after him when I wasn't around." The girl named Sabrina was eyeing me flirtatiously and I was growing uncomfortable after what had just happened. Bane stormed down to where Maddie and I were standing.

"You little son of a bitch. You're gonna pay for this." I knew what Bane was going to do, and I couldn't stand it. I intervened just as Bane raised his hand to Maddie.

"Leave her alone. Your fight's with me. I'm the only threat you have." I was so pissed at Bane that I didn't realize what I was getting myself into. All that I could remember was that I woke up a few hours later in my house in the Victor's Circle and my head was hurting. Maddie was there and she was crying. I wanted to reach out and hold her, but I couldn't. My arm was covered in stitches and bloody gauze. I looked down and saw that my right leg had about 18 stitches in it. Maddie noticed that I was awake and smiled weakly at me, as if she was in as much pain as I was.

"Thank God. I thought you were gone."

"Maddie, what happened with Bane?" My voice was quiet and weak.

"Bane only threw one punch at you. Sabrina did the rest. She's a witch too. She gave Bane even more power. He went wolf and did everything else to you. I tried to stop him, but I was so scared and- Diego, I'm so sorry." Her voice had gone from a normal volume to a whisper. I cupped my free hand around her cheek and wiped a tear away with my thumb.

"Hey, I'm just glad he didn't do anything to you."

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><p>Maddie's POV:<p>

Luckily, Diego had passed out at the beach before seeing Bane turn on me.

~Flashback~

Bane turned back into his human form and walked up to me, staring at me with cold eyes. He chuckled,

"Well, now that your little friend is no longer a problem, I can deal with you directly." Bane raised his hand and last I could remember was tasting blood in my mouth where I had bitten my tongue. Everything had gone black and amid the silence, Bane and Sabrina had left us unconscious on the beach. If it hadn't been for a man who had been walking by to go fishing on the pier, we would have been left there overnight, or until a patrolling Peacekeeper found us.

When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed with Diego in the bed next to me. He was hooked up to IV fluids and a heart rate monitor. His face was covered in bruises and cuts, but what made me cringe was the carnage on his left arm. Bane had torn away at the skin, leaving muscle exposed, but he hadn't stopped there. I could see about 40 stitches spanning Diego's arm where Bane had torn through the muscle, revealing the bone underneath. I sat up and realized that there was a numbing sensation in my jaw. I traced my jawline and counted 8 stitches where doctors had repaired my jaw, which Bane had broken. I steadied myself before walking over to Diego and taking his hand in mine. A few minutes later, he opened his eyes, which were filled with fear and unease. But when he saw me, the fear was replaced with relief.

~End Flashback~

The doctors came in to replace the gauze that was meant to stop the bleeding in Diego's arm, and I left them to their work. One of the nurses said that I was cleared to go home. I gave Diego one last hopeful glance before turning away.


	5. Chapter 5: Losing Her

**A/N: This chapter is a two year time lapse from the events in Chapter 4. This is the year that Maddie is drawn.**

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><p>Chapter 5: Losing Her<p>

Diego's POV:

I can't believe that Maddie has gone back to him. She's still with Bane after everything that happened two years ago. We haven't spoken since that day. I've been hanging out with Josh a lot more though. He and Christine are dating now. Since they both have powers, it was like a match made in heaven. But today...today is the Drawing. Katie Rice won last year, the first victor from Region 7 in almost a decade. I met her during her tour and she seemed like someone that you wouldn't want pissed off at you. She and I are mentors this year. I sat next to Mags on the stage in front of the Overseer's building. We watched the Region 4 escort draw the first name from the boy's jar. He read the name clearly into the microphone,"Bane Huntingwood Jr."

Bane looked like he was going to cry. I had to stifle a laugh; even if he was a werewolf, he wouldn't stand a chance against the other Careers. Bane walked slowly up to the stage and stood on the escort's right side.

"Now for our young ladies." He selected a strip of paper from the pink glass bowl,"Madeline VanPelt."

My heart stopped. But, how? No! This can't be happening! I'm dreaming, that's it. This is all just a nightmare and I needed to wake up. I pinched myself, but still felt the pain of reality. It was true. Maddie was a tribute. I looked at Bane and saw he was staring at me with a smug look on his face. It was like he had planned this. Not his drawing, but her's. I glared back at him, wishing I could turn him into an ice sculpture. Meanwhile, Maddie made her trek up the stage and stood on the escort's left. She shook hands with Bane and Mags and I led the two into the Centroid car. Since Mags couldn't speak, I would be the one that would have to deliver verbal commands and criticism to Maddie and Bane. We all sat in silence as the car brought us to the train station. Maddie's eyes were red and puffy from crying by the time we reached the station. I helped her out of the car and led her to the living car.

I wanted to say something to her. Anything that would make her feel better. But I couldn't. Bane had gone to his bedroom and Mags had gone to hers, leaving Maddie alone with me. Rather than consoling her, I sat next to her on the couch and wrapped her up in a hug. She cried into my chest and held on to me; it felt like I was the only thing keeping her tethered to reality. I continued to hold her and let her cry. I knew that she was scared.

And so was I.

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><p>Sabrina's POV:<p>

I watched Bane and Maddie leave with the Kanay on the train in disgust. Bane had promised that Diego would be mine after Maddie cut herself off from him. And yet, he never thought twice about me. Then, I got an idea. Maddie was the only person Diego loved, though I hate to admit it. If I could get rid of her in the arena, Diego would be mine. I tele-transported back to my place and began flipping through spell books to find what I was looking for.

It took me two hours to find the spell. Quickly, I cast it with a snap of my fingers. Now, if Maddie did by some chance win the Games, she wouldn't remember him at all. It would be torture for him. After all, his only fear is losing her.


	6. Chapter 6: Learning to Let Go

Chapter 6: Learning to Let Go

Maddie's POV:

Why? That was the only thing I could think about. Why? Why did it have to be me? Why did it have to be Bane? Why would I have to leave my family and friends behind? The thought of my mother bawling her eyes out as I lay dying in the arena both frightened and upset me. Watching my mother cry is not an enjoyable activity, its actually kinda scary, in a 'uh what is wrong with her' kinda way. I was going to actually miss that, though it was hard to believe it at first. But the one thing that pained me the most, the one thing that I just couldn't let go of was sitting across from me in the car.

When we reached the train station, I was still crying. Diego led me to the living car and I sat on the couch, still in shock from what had happened. I wanted to just curl up in a ball and disappear. But I couldn't. Diego came over and sat next to me. Without thinking, I buried my head in his shirt and began to cry again. I thought that after what had happened on the beach two years ago, he would push me away, but he didn't. Instead, he wrapped me up in his arms and let me cry. He knew that I was afraid. And I knew that he was too.

After I calmed down, Diego showed me to my room and turned to leave. But I wasn't ready to let him go yet.

"Diego. Wait. I wanna talk with you."

"Maddie, I don't thin-"

I had to interrupt him,"Why? Because of what Bane might do? He can't do anything now and he'll be dead soon enough. Please, Diego, I need to talk with you."

He sighed, knowing that I won this battle, and sat down next to me on the bed, ready to listen.

I took a deep breath and began to explain everything,"After what happened with Bane and Sabrina on the beach, I knew that Bane was capable of doing worse. He had total control of his wolf form then. I couldn't even think of what he would do if he lost control. And seeing you in the hospital-" I began to choke up at the memory of Diego covered in blood, bandages and stitches.

"You thought that it would be best if you stayed away from me completely." Diego finished my sentence for me and I nodded in response. We sat in silence for awhile until he spoke up again,"I can't believe him. Maybe I'll get lucky and Bane will be the first one to die in that damn arena." Diego had an edge to his voice that scared me. I never thought of Diego as a hateful person, but he must have been hiding it for years. His normally kind and warm brown eyes turned cold and dark. The skin on his hands turned white as he clenched his hands into fists. I placed a hand on his shoulder hoping that it would calm him down.

"Diego. Calm down. Please." Shortly after, he finally relaxed and fell back on the bed, groaning.

"Why does it seem like the Centroid is out to get me because I'm the last living Kanay?"

"They probably are." I giggled lightly. He smiled at me,"Probably."

We just kept talking. For hours and hours, we did nothing but laugh and talk. No one bothered us, not even Bane. Diego's assumption was that he discovered the bar car, since the legal drinking age in Contego was only 17, he had crossed the legal line last year. So we screwed around and laughed until we cried. By 7:00, we ran out of things to talk about and decided to head to the dining car for dinner. Once we got there, we realized that everyone else was either in their room, in the bar car, or in the living car.

After dinner, Diego walked me back to my room.

"If you need anything, my room is just down the hall. I'll see you in the morning." He turned to leave, but before he could I leaned in and pressed my lips against his. I was afraid that he would pull away, but he didn't. Our lips moved in sync with each other's. It was just as exhilarating as the kiss we had on the beach. And I couldn't get enough of it. We stumbled into my room, unable to let go of each other. My hands moved from Diego's chest to around his neck, while his hands moved to waist. He broke away, out of breath and smiling. I rested my head on his chest as he continued to hold me. I closed my eyes and whispered,

"I love you, Diego."

* * *

><p>Diego's POV:<p>

"I love you, Diego."

She loved me. She really loved me. That was when it hit me. I realized that I wasn't ready to let Maddie go in the arena. I couldn't let her go. Not now. Not after everything that we had been through together. But there was no stopping it. I would have to learn to let her go. It would be hard, and we both would have to stay strong. But until the day came that I would have to let her go, I would be with her. Bane wasn't my concern anymore. She was.

"I love you, too. I'll always love you, Maddie." It felt like our hearts were beating as one. I didn't want to leave her. But I had to. I gave her another kiss goodnight and returned to my room smiling. I would have to let her go. But I knew that she would never leave.

* * *

><p><strong>Oohh... a little philosophical phrase there at the end. Man, I'm good! :)<strong>


	7. Chapter 7: The Parade

**What do you think will happen when Bane finds out about this 'forbidden love affair'?**

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><p>Chapter 7: The Parade<p>

Bane's POV:

I woke up to having a bucket of ice water dumped on my face. My vision was blurry at first but I could make out that little old lady, Mags. She didn't say a word to me, I guess she couldn't, but she motioned for me to get off my ass and get out to breakfast. When I pulled myself up, I realized that I probably should have taken my time. I ended up vomiting on the carpet and stumbling into the dining car. Man, I was hungover. I couldn't remember anything that had happened last night except that the last drink I had was a bottle of Blackwood's Gin.

Meanwhile, from what I could tell, the Kanay was all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. This, of course, could not continue in my presence. So, I stumbled over to him and spilled the remaining contents of my bottle onto his breakfast plate. I could hear my words slur together as I laughed and chided him,"Sorrybouthat. Maybenextimeyoushouldstayoutomyway." But he didn't glare at me. Instead, he just stood up and spoke in a calm and even tone.

"Don't worry about it. But maybe you should go to bed. You're lookin' a little...pale." I scowled at the low life, or at least I tried to and went to my bedroom. I passed Maddie in the hall, and I thought I caught a whiff of the same cologne that the Kanay wears to mask his awful scent. '_I must be really hungover. There's no way she would-' _I began to see red and almost thought about going wolf, but decided not to, not while I was hungover. "That little slut. I'm gonna kill her myself in that damn arena." I muttered to myself. When I calmed down, I turned into my room and passed out on the floor.

* * *

><p>Maddie's POV:<p>

When Bane passed me in the hall, I could tell that Diego was right. He reeked of gin and cigar smoke. Lovely. Not. I could see him pausing out of the corner of my eye before he went into his room. Apparently, his ability to smell wasn't affected as badly by the alcohol as his other senses. He could tell. He knew, at least I was sure he did. But I kept walking, until I finally arrived at the dining car. It smelled strongly of gin and it seemed the smell was coming from the place where Diego must have been sitting.

"Let me guess. Bane?" Sarcasm rolled of my tongue, clear as a bell.

Diego laughed,"Who else would expect? Me? I don't drink. Never have, never will." He walked over and enveloped me in a bear hug, planting a kiss on my head,"Morning, beautiful."

I held onto him for what seemed like an eternity, breathing in the scent of his cologne. He wore it to cover the smell that Kanays gave of. Only magical creatures could smell it. At first, I couldn't stand it; the smell of rotten eggs. But over time, I got used to it, mostly because we spent so much time together growing up. He started wearing cologne about 5 years ago to hide the scent from Bane, but even though Bane knew, it had become a habit for him to wear it.

"So, how close are we to the Centroid?" I had been wondering what the city looked like for years. This might be my only chance to see it.

"We'll be there in about a half hour. Normally, mentors have to give you a little speech regarding sponsors, but the Career Regions don't need to worry about it. So, when we get there, I wanna see that smile that I love so much. Okay?"

I rolled my eyes. "Okay. And? Anything else you need to tell me?"

"Just one thing. I want you to put on a show for them. You have to be 'in love' with Bane. Make it convincing. It'll save your life in the arena, I guarantee it." He scowled at the thought and sighed. It was going to be torturous for both of us.

Just then, someone, most likely the escort, named Hadrian, started yelling at someone outside the dining car door, causing us to break away from each other. Quickly, I grabbed an apple from the bowl of fruit on the table and motioned for Diego to follow me to the living car. Luckily, it was empty. So we sat next to each other on the love-seat until the train pulled into the station. That was Diego's cue to get Bane.

"I better wake up the grizzly bear. I'll be back in 5 minutes, if not, I'm most likely dead."

* * *

><p>Diego's POV:<p>

I didn't need to get a bucket of ice water for Bane; with a wave of my hand, rain poured down on him out of nowhere. Instantly, he jumped up from his spot on the floor. I waved my hand again and the rain disappeared.

"You son of a bitch! What the fu-"

"You can scorn me all you want in the hotel tonight. Right now, you need to get off the train and into the car. We're here." I said through gritted teeth. It was taking all of my strength and self-control to not set him on fire. With all the alcohol in his system, he would have lit up like a torch. We headed out to the platform, where we were greeted by hundreds of Centroid citizens. But they weren't shouting out to Bane or Maddie. They were shouting my name. I had been rather popular when I first came here 2 years ago. And it apparently still showed. Centroid teenage girls wanted to tear me limb from limb, the boys wanted me to sign something for their girlfriends or take a picture with them for evidence, but I pushed them all away. We were on a tight schedule.

Once in the car, our train was replaced by the Region 5 train. The driver brought Mags, Bane, Maddie, Hadrian and I to the hotel, where we took an elevator to the 2nd floor. Maddie and Bane met their stylists and were whisked away to be prepped for the parade. I saw Maddie turn back and give me a smile before heading into her prep room.

Mags, Hadrian and I all went to the 6th floor, where we always stayed and sat at the bar. I didn't have anything to drink and neither did Mags, but that didn't stop Hadrian from ordering a Matador the instant he sat down.

"So, I heard that you and that little blonde have history together. That true?" Hadrian was prying. He always did. Then he would go and gossip to the other Centroid escorts about it. I played his game.

"I guess. We've been friends since we were little. But nothing more." I must have sounded more convincing than I give myself credit for, because Hadrian didn't ask me anymore questions after that. I smirked, knowing that I had beat him at his own game. I went to my room and napped until Mags shook me awake for the parade.

After I got changed, Mags handed me a small box. I opened it and saw that inside was a necklace. The necklace had a silver chain and hanging from it was an anchor. The anchor was silver and had one diamond inlaid in the center.

"Mags, you can't be serious. I can't give it to her. Not after-" she stopped me. Mags then closed the box and pushed it to my chest, with a smile and a look telling me that she and I both knew that this might be the only chance I would have before she left. I hugged her briefly before heading to the elevator with Hadrian. Since I was the youngest mentor, I would have the pleasure of attending the parade and all interviews that would follow. When we arrived at the first floor, I scanned the area for Maddie.

At last, I saw her. And I was blown away. Unlike last year's costume, which made our tributes look like fish, Maddie and Bane looked stunning. Bane wore a white suit with a silver fish scale tie and a black dress shirt; it was simple, but it suited him. Maddie, on the other hand, was wearing an elegant, strapless ball gown. It was white and decorated with diamonds on the skirt. When she spun around, the diamonds created an illusion like waves crashing against rocks on shore.

"Wow. You never cease to impress me, Maddie. And I thought you were beautiful before." Her face turned red, it always did when I complimented her.

"You don't look to shabby yourself." I couldn't help but smile.

"Thanks." Maddie turned to climb into the chariot next to Bane, making me almost forget the necklace.

"Wait! Maddie," she stopped and turned to face me,"I wanted to give this before you go." I opened the box and her eyes grew wide in surprise.

"Oh my god. Diego, I- its beautiful." Tears started to form in her eyes as I clasped it around her neck.

"Thank you so much. I love it." We hugged for a brief moment before she turned and started to climb into the chariot. Quickly, I whispered,"Meet me on the balcony on our floor after everyone goes to bed tonight."

My last glimpse of her before she disappeared into the tunnel was her smiling and nodding to me as she faded into darkness.


	8. Chapter 8: The Balcony

**A/N: This is just an intermittent chapter, hence its shortness.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 8: The Balcony<p>

Maddie's POV:

After the parade, after everyone finally fell asleep, I slipped out onto the balcony. Diego was waiting for me,wearing only pajama pants and a smile.

"Well, that took longer than expected." Diego oozed sarcasm when it came to Bane. Bane had been up drinking beer until 11:12. We had gotten back from the parade at 8:30.

"Ugh, don't even. I am sick of him. At least it'll all be over in a couple of weeks." I was just shooting myself in the foot. Everything I did only reminded me that in a few short weeks, I would be dead.

"Don't think like that, Maddie. If you keep thinking like that, you won't even survive the first day in that arena. Don't focus on the future; focus on the present." He laced his fingers through mine and pulled me to his bare chest. I pressed my head to his chest and listened to his heartbeat. It calmed me, listening to the steady rhythm. Diego always helped me relax. He was always there, even when I pushed him away. I loved that about him, I loved everything about him. There was no denying it.

"I love you, Maddie. And I'll never stop loving you."

"I love you too." I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my lips against his. His hands moved back to their place around my waist. This was where we belonged. Together. Whether it was on that balcony or in Region 4 wasn't important.

* * *

><p>Diego's POV:<p>

My heart belonged to her from that point on. No one else would ever come close to her. Maddie was the only one I would ever love. When we ran out of breath, we broke our kiss. I picked her up bridal style and brought her to her room, placing her on the bed. It was almost midnight and she had training the next morning.

"Goodnight, Maddie. I'll see you in the morning." She was already asleep by the time I walked out of the door.

I woke up hearing a scream. Maddie. I ran out of my room and into hers. What I saw seemed unreal. Maddie was crying, her hands were covering her face as if to protect it and she was cowering in the corner of her room. Bane was standing, towering over her holding one of the leather belts he had found in his closet. On the belt, I could see a glint, not of metal, but of blood. He was obviously drunk and on his way to the bathroom to get rid of the toxins in his system, must have seen Maddie and me on the balcony.

Instantly, I lunged at him and tore the belt from his hands. Without thinking, I slammed his head against the floor until he fell unconscious, which didn't take long. O dragged him back to his room and left him on the floor with the belt. I rinsed the blood from my hands and ran back to Maddie's aid. She was still in shock. She was terrified.

"Maddie. Shh, its okay. Its just me. C'mere. Let me see what that bastard did to you." It could've been way worse. She had a black eye and split lip, but other than that, nothing severe. I waved my hand and instantly water covered it like a glove. I set my hand gently against her lip and let the water do its job. A few minutes later, her lip was healed, except for a faint scar. There wasn't much I could do about her eye, but I didn't want to leave her alone after that. So I picked her up and gently set her on the bed.

I walked around and slid under the covers with her, wrapping my arms around her waist and holding her close. She relaxed at my touch and rested her head in the crook of my neck. No one disturbed us. Not even Bane. They all understood and knew better than to intrude.


	9. Chapter 9: Training One-on-One

**A/N: So I guess you're wondering, 'Hey Hunterjumper2016, how does Bane beating up Maddie add up to her crying about his death in the arena?' Well, you'll just have to keep reading to find out. There's a method to my madness I promise!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 9: Training One-On-One<p>

Diego's POV:

Maddie was still clinging to me when I woke up in her bed the next morning. I couldn't help but smile at the sight of her sleeping soundly. After what had happened last night, I swore that I would never let Bane come near her again. I didn't want to disturb her so I tried to crane my neck over my shoulder to see what time it was. 5:43. Maddie had to be on the training floor in 45 minutes. I shook her gently.

"Maddie. Maddie, c'mon you need to get up. You have training in 45 minutes." She rolled over and groaned, refusing to wake up. "Fine. You leave me no choice." I picked her up, making her wince in pain. I noticed that her back was bruised. Rather than setting her on her feet, I held onto her, chuckling at her messy hair and laziness. She brushed her hair out of her eyes and looked up at me with a soft smile.

I leaned down and planted a kiss on her forehead. Setting her down, I noticed that she was having difficulty maintaining her balance. "Maddie, if you don't mind my asking, how long was Bane in your room last night?"

"I'm not sure, an hour maybe." I was shocked, how long was I asleep until I really noticed that Maddie needed my help? I exhaled loudly, glancing at the clock. 5:52. I couldn't just let her go to training with the other tributes in the condition she was in. But if I didn't, she wouldn't be prepared for the arena. Then, I got an idea. I had see a situation like this last year. One of the tributes from Region 6 was fighting hand to hand combat on the first day of training with a Career twice his size. He had been beaten to the point where his entire face was a bruise. After that, he was granted to train one on one with his mentor for the rest of training, but was evaluated the same. I just needed to find Julio before training began.

"Maddie, I want you to get changed and meet me at the breakfast table in 30 minutes, okay?" She nodded and I ran into my room, changed and took the elevator to the training floor. I stepped out onto the smooth concrete floor and looked around for Julio. Then, I saw him talking with Seneca Crane. His back was to me but Seneca noticed my presence and motioned for me to join them.

"Its great to see you again, Diego! How have you been?" Seneca had a warm smile, despite the fact that his job required him to be responsible for 23 deaths a year. I returned his smile anyway,"I'm good. Thank you, Seneca. And while I have both your attentions, I need to talk to the two of you regarding one of my tributes, Maddie VanPelt."

I recounted Bane's attack on Maddie and her current condition. Seneca and Julio nodded and both had concerned looks in their eyes as I finished my speech,"So, I would like to request that she train with me one on one. If its all right with you."

Seneca gave me another smile,"Considering how much you want Ms. VanPelt to succeed in the arena, I see no problem in allowing you train her privately. What about you, Julio?"

"As long as she's ready for her evaluation, its okay with me. You can train her from 2-5 and 6-8. After hearing about her condition, I think that giving her a break between sessions would be ideal."

I was exploding on the inside,"Thank you so much." I ran back to the elevator, wishing that it could move faster. My watch read 7:00 on the dot. It seemed like an eternity before the elevator opened on the 6th floor. Bane and Maddie were standing in front of me, waiting to climb in for training.

"Maddie, stay. Bane, get to training. NOW!" I walked out of the elevator and stepped aside to let him on. They both had confused looks.

"Hold up! I wanna know why she doesn't have to bust her ass at training and I do." Bane was pissed, but what else was new. I smirked at him,"You'll find out why from your Training Master, Julio. Now get down there or you'll be late." The werewolf scowled at me, but delivered no retort. He knew his place now. Once he was gone, I reached over and pulled Maddie into a big bear hug.

"Ow, Diego, OW! Can't-breathe-Diego!" I laughed and released her from my grip. As she regained her breath, I told her the arrangements for her training.

"You are so lucky to have me as a friend. I spoke with Julio and Seneca. They agreed to having you train privately because of the state your in. After everyone else is done training each day, you'll train one on one. With me."

Her eyes lit up and she gave me a huge grin. She wrapped her arms around my neck and laughed as I lost my balance and fell back on the floor, with Maddie on top of me. She was laughing hysterically now. When she calmed down, we stared into each other's eyes, green-brown hazel and sepia brown, searching the other's for the secrets that were hidden behind them.

"Uh? Is this a bad time for me to eat breakfast or am I free to eat?" Hadrian had appeared out of nowhere. We both stood up immediately, trying to act like nothing happened. But it was too late. Hadrian had figured it out, though it took him longer than I had expected. It didn't matter anyway. Bane had become submissive to me, or at least had some shred of respect for me after I knocked him senseless last night.

"No, feel free. We were just leaving." I offered my hand to Maddie, who laced her fingers between mine. We power-walked past the escort and into the living room. Mags was still asleep, she wouldn't be up for another hour or so. I turned the TV on and flipped to the channel that would show us the training session. We sat next to each other, our hands still connected.

"Oh my god. Is that the training floor?"

"You bet it is. Mentors are allowed to watch the training sessions from their hotel floors. So, until your session starts, you can watch Bane make a fool of himself in front of the Gamemakers."

For hours, we watched Bane make an attempt at (and fail at) poisonous plant identification, archery, and shelter building. The only thing he was good at was fire building. He wouldn't stand a chance. By 1:30, the tributes had cleared the floor, leaving only the Gamemakers, meaning it was time for Maddie's training session.

"You ready?" She nodded as we walked in sync to the elevator but I could still feel her hand trembling, I placed my arm on her shoulders, pulled her close and whispered softly,"Don't worry. You'll be fine. I promise."


End file.
